Departings

Departings is a novel told in three parts, each detailing the life of one of the main characters. It speaks of lost hopes and the youth of the 1920’s who started out with so much abundance. Oil and advancing technology propelled the average guy into a rich man. Women were coming into their own. They could vote, drive, speak out. It all seemed so fun and promising-it promised to never end. But it did. In this story of loss and redemption, each endearing character tells his own story and gives insight into the others. First is Lorraine, the feisty older sister of Amanda. Lorraine's life has been surrounded by hardship. Lorraine lays the foundation for the characters and of the times. Lorraine survives her ill-fated situation and refuses to let her status beat her. Second there is Amanda, an eighty-year-old woman, Lorraine's younger sister, who is haunted by the tragedies of her closest friend's life and her older sister's struggles with an unhappy marriage, illnesses, and even death. As Amanda strives to make sense of her friend's tragedy, she relives her life, giving us insight into the time of the 1920s, the loss of hope, and the fortitude of the people around her. Last is Bo, Amanda's husband. His poignant story shares of his triumph over adversity as his family wrestles with alcoholism, poverty, and divorce. Discover how one family came together in Mary Lake's thoughtful novel, Departings, as each character seeks his place within the bonds of community.